What’s in a name

A great honour has been bestowed on my this week. On Tuesday my last outing with the City Hash House Harriers for four months was marked by my official acceptance as they grabbed me tightly and hugged my firmly against the sweaty, beer-soaked bosom. After around ten outings with the hashers they have given me a hashing name.

So as well as the name that my parents gave to me (Laura) and my blogging pseudonym (Lazy Girl) I now also answer to the name ‘Wet Down Under’. Chosen because I’m leaving the hashers to go to Australia for a while (more on that on Monday).

Hashing names are, by tradition, a bit on the Not Suitable For Work side of things. Though I think I’ve escape lightly compared to some hashers, I won’t be changing my business cards just yet.

The naming ceremony involves being dragged into the middle of the circle and having people shout name suggestions out until the wisdom of the crowd decides on one it likes. Then you get on your knees, have beer sprinkled over you and after you’ve downed a pint, your new identity begins. I imagine the whole witness protection process is quite similar to this.

This was quite a different evening to the one I had on Wednesday night when I went to Cosmopolitan magazine’s blog awards – and possibly goes some way to explaining why I didn’t win. That and the fact that I went home and washed my face in Dettol hand wash. I think it’s safe to say that Cosmo girls don’t do such things. Thanks to everyone who voted for me all the same. I drank a Cosmo in honour of each and every one of you.